Upon passing the Finisterre DST zone, Alexia Barrier has just avoided one of the last traps of the race. But be careful, maritime traffic is expected to intensify in the coming hours.
You can feel that hint of nostalgia surfacing just 350 miles from the finish. Her voice almost hoarse, a mix of pride, a desire to finish quickly to take care of herself, her race has definitely not been a walk in the park! “I’m approaching Cape Finisterre. It should go well with the DST (Traffic Separation Scheme). I am close-hauled and it’s hitting hard, not very pleasant but it won’t last long. The sea should normally calm down and so should the wind,” explains the sailor from the French Riviera, currently navigating under 20 knots of wind.
Now heading north to sail up the country while avoiding the cargo ships that are very numerous in the area. Ask Boris Hermann who lost the podium in the final hours of the race after hitting a fishing trawler less than 80 miles from Les Sables d’Olonne. With her injured back, it’s difficult to maneuver in this maritime jungle. Compared to usual, for more than a week, Alexia has had to spend twice as much time on the deck of her “Penguin” to adjust her sails and respond to changing weather conditions.
Time to focus on anticipation as the wind is expected to slacken in the middle of the day. Good news for her back but bad for her desire to finish as quickly as possible. An ambition that Sam Davies apparently does not share, who is having fun offshore from the finish by drawing a beautiful heart, a symbol of her commitment with “Initiative Coeur,” which helps sick children.
The latest forecasts indicate a TSE-4myplanet arrival around Sunday morning. But beware, the weather could slow down our Maralpine’s progress, with her team on land eager with anticipation to welcome her and take care of her.
